The aftermath of 9/11 was an intense and chaotic time. Dad was a lieutenant in the FDNY, and he practically vanished while the rescue efforts were going on. Like he'd disappear for 2 week stretches and be back for a day before the inescapable gravity of ground zero pulled him back.
1/x
It was chaotic within the FDNY too. So many guys had died. This meant additional promotions to fill the Lt. and Cpt. slots. Dad was one of the guys promoted and as he tells it, that only happened because of the 9/11 deaths. It f***ed him up.
2/x
Idk how to talk to him about any of this. Idk if I SHOULD talk to him about this or whether its better to leave that in the past. I feel for him tho.
And I get that 9/11 exists as a major inflection point in American history and most ppls exposure to it is through talking points from politicians but it really was a profoundly tragic event.
If you're going to mark this day in some way, remember the sacrifice the FDNY made.
3/x
@Expecting_Words
Do you know if he's had an opportunity to talk it through in any structured way?
I might be inclined to say something like "You never have to talk to me about the Twin Towers, but if you ever *want* to, I'm here to listen any time." then leave the ball in his court. He may never say a word, but the knowledge that you're available could make a powerful difference on its own.
@Expecting_Words Not sure if you knew this but @jaunty and my middle kid — he had no clue what he wanted to do with his life— decided to become a firefighter because of 9/11. He’s now a captain in the local fire department. Your father’s and his colleagues’ example helped our kid find himself.
@TetsuKaba @Expecting_Words This is SOP2. I’m so proud of him! 😀
@jaunty @TetsuKaba @Expecting_Words
Yes. Firefighters are the opposite of 9/11. We should all be like firefighters...
Honestly, it’s those brave souls, how they went straight into those buildings without any hesitation, they are the first ones always on my mind when I think in remembrance. @Expecting_Words
@Expecting_Words ❤️